Sport shoe provided with a protective cap



April 10, 1962 A. A. DASSLER SPORT SHOE PROVIDED WITH A PROTECTIVE CAP Filed Dec. 1, 1959 Maw Patented Apr. 10, 1962 3,028,689 SPORT SHOE PROVIDED WITH A PROTECTIVE CAP Armin A. Dassler, Herzogenaurach, Germany, assignor to Puma-Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler K.G., Herzogenaurach, Germany, a firm Filed Dec. 1, 1959, Ser. No. 856,448 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 5, 1958 3 Claims. ((11. 36-25) The invention relates to a sports shoe and particularly a running shoe which is provided with a protecting cap covering the upper on the exterior surfaces thereof in the region of the ball and extending from the sole.

In sports shoes, not only the sole but also the upper on the exterior surfaces thereof in the vicinity of the ball are subjected to very heavy stressing. In the case of running shoes the Wear is particularly great. It has therefore been proposed to provide protecting supports which cover the critical places. If these supports are subsequently fitted, for example by means of lacing, perfect fitting cannot be ensured. If, however, the supports are formed on the sole and drawn up over the edge thereof a certain distance over the upper, the objection arises that, on the one hand, only soles with flaps formed thereon can be used and, on the other hand, the fixing of the flaps composed of rubber or the like on to the upper by cementing or the like cannot be sufiiciently durable.

The invention overcomes this objection in that a protecting cap of angular cross-section and permanent shape is provided, one arm of which cap serves for holding the cap in position and engages under the foot, being preferably inserted between the upper and the sole. At the same time the holding arm of the shoe cap is preferably located between the lasted margin of the upper and the sole composed of one or several layers. It is preferably in the form of a thin tongue tapering towards its end.

The advantage oifered by the invention is that the normal components of the shoe, irrespectively of whether it is the upper or the sole, can be worked into the shape hitherto customary, and that no supplementary or securing means are required for fitting the protecting cap, because this is secured in position during the securing, for example by cementing of the sole on the shoe body. If the protecting cap according to the invention is made from nylon or some other equivalent plastic substance, the further advantage is obtained that, on the one hand, it is capable of withstanding particularly heavy stressing on account of its resistance to rubbing and abrasion, and, on the other hand, it requires no means for securement to the upper owing to its permanent shape and rigidity.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 shows a running shoe in side elevation;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section on line II-II of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a nylon protecting cap.

The lasted margin a of the upper b is bent over under the insole c in the usual manner. position may be introduced between the edges of the lasted margin of the upper and, as shown in FIGURE 2, between the insole c and the outer sole.

The holding arm g of the protecting cap h is intro- A filling d of comduced between the lasted margin a of the upper and the outer sole which in the present instance is composed of two layers, namely a midsole e and the outsole 1, whereas the other or cover arm i bears laterally against'the exterior of the upper in the vicinity of the ball and thereby covers and protects this at the place where the wear is greatest. Preferably two protectingcaps are provided, one on each side of the shoe in the vicinity of the ball thereof as illustrated in FIGURE 2, though if desired, only one cap may be used.

As already mentioned, the holding arm g is a thin tongue becoming narrower towards the end and which is secured in position during the fixing of the sole, for example by cementing.

The protecting cap is, as above-mentioned, preferably made from nylon or some other equivalent rigid, abrasion resisting material. The protecting arm i therefore reliably retains its proper position for use without being connected to the upper.

The cap h serves not only as protection for the upper leather in the vicinity of the ball. It also protects the edge of the sole against wearing at the side at this point, seeing that it projects slightly outwards beyond the edge of the sole, as can be seen from the drawing. Thus the edge k of the protecting cap is particularly effective.

In addition to the advantages already mentioned above, the invention otters the further advantage that the protecting cap it, due to its permanent shape and rigidity, acts as a kind of foot support and prevents the foot from spreading laterally precisely at the place where it has a tendency to do so, namely in the vicinity of the ball. The

protecting cap therefore not only constitutes a cover protecting the upper and edge of the sole against premature wear, but reliably prevents the upper from undesirable lateral bulging.

I claim:

1. A sport shoe comprising: a sole; an upper secured to said sole; and a protective cap of rigid, abrasion resisting material, said cap being angular in cross-section to define a holding arm and a cover arm, said holding arm being secured between said sole and said upper, and said cover arm extending from said sole, upwardly over the exterior of said upper in the vicinity of the ball of the shoe.

2. A sports shoe as in claim 1, wherein the holding arm of the protecting cap is located between the lasted-in margin of the upper and the outer sole.

3. A sports shoe as in claim 1, wherein the holding arm of the protecting cap is constructed as a thin tongue becoming narrower towards its end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,829 Dyer Oct. 19, 1897 645,830 Preble Mar. 20, 1900 894,881 Gordon Aug. 4, 1908 1,224,655 Lloyd May 1, 1917 1,855,452 Jones Apr. 26, 1932 2,314,796 Marx Mar. 23, 1943 2,613,457 McLaughlin Oct. 14, 1952 2,804,700 Holtkamp Sept. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,014,462 Germany Aug. 22, 1957 

